RALEIGH, N.C. –– A class action lawsuit has been filed against several defendants, including DuPont, contending that the leak of harmful chemicals such as PFAS produced at a local facility has contaminated drinking water and increased the risk of local residents’ chances of developing illnesses.

In the Oct. 3 complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, the plaintiffs argued that PFAS are “highly toxic to humans.”

Plaintiffs Brent Nix brought the claims on behalf of himself and others similarly situated, contending that releases, discharges, spills and leaks of toxic PFAS and PFECAs ...